He places LIFE in His own

Because of his or her spiritual inability the unregenerate person is unable, apart from the special working of the Holy Spirit, to change the basic direction of his life from sinful self-love to love for God.

Unless God by His Spirit opens the heart of the hearer, thus enabling him or her to believe, he or she will never accept the gospel call.

This opening of the heart happens in "internal" or "effectual" calling.

--hoekema